142 
MYTHOLOGY. 
[toto tahi, toto rua, toto, &c., toto tekau] ; he pulled one 
of them to his side, there remained nine ; missing the tenth 
she counted them over again ; one kumara, &c. ; where is 
the tenth ? Tawaki took the ninth, and left eight ; Waitiri 
recounted, and missed another ; she again counted, but he 
kept taking one after the other, until all were gone; Waitiri 
then enquired, who is this that is playing tricks upon me, and 
taking away my seed kumara ? Tawaki said, It is I, Waitiri. 
She said, you, who are you ? It is I, it is Tawaki, the only 
child of Hema. Waitiri exclaimed. Aye, aye, my grandchild. 
It was you, said he, who gave your last command that I should 
come and seek you. Aye, aye, said Waitiri, that is quite 
true ; but look at my eyes, Tawaki said, What is the matter 
with them ? By and bye, said Waitiri, you shall see : in 
the evening the house will be filled with birds, which have 
caused my blindness, by scratching them with their claws; 
do you place yourself in the stuffing of the sides of the 
house. Tawaki enquired, where is their entrance ? by 
the door and the window. Tawaki attended to her words ; 
he made snares for the door and window, when the sun 
set, he entered, and said, when all have come in, stop 
up the entrance from above and below, that they may be 
quite awake, and the day advanced before they get up to 
depart; Waitiri promised to do so; when the sun set, an 
immense flock of very little birds came flying to the pianga, 
or window, Tongo-hiti was one of them, when Waitiri saw 
that they had filled the house, she closed the openings 
above and below; then they slept, the morning star set, 
they did not awake, the day dawned, still they slept, the 
rays of the sun descended, yet they did not arise, it was 
near noon, some of them exclaimed, what a long night ; 
Waitiri called to them, sleep, day has not yet dawned ; 
Tongo-hiti and others, at the same time, said, the night 
must have passed away, daylight must be coming on apace, 
the night is so long, a trick of Waitiri perhaps upon us; 
she replied, no ; then Tawaki arose, drew out the stopping 
from above, and entered; he slew all but Tongo-hiti, who 
crept out under the back post of the house, and escaped. 
